Spinning frame control



July 20, 1948. D. R. NEELY 2,445,637

SPINNING FRAME CONTROL Filed Aug. 26, 1947 SSheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY July 20, 1948. D. R, NEELY 2,445,687

SPINNING FRAME CONTROL Filed Aug. 26, 1947 s sh ets-sheet 2 I; 5% zkqgx w 5 f FIG. 2

'zmziv'Ti D. R. NEELY ATTORNEY July 20, 1948. D. R. NEELY 2,445,687

SPINNING FRAME CONTROL Filed Aug. 26, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

D. R. NEELY WWO ATTORNEY Patented July 20. 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE SPINNING FRAME CONTROL David Robert Neely, Ellijay, Ga.

Application Adult 26, 1947, Serial No. 170.661

'7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to textile machinery and more particularlyto control mechanism for spinning frames.

The commercial spinning of thread or yarn involves the use of frames containing a large number of spindles with bobbins mounted thereon to receive the thread.

Heretofore it has been customary for the spinner to watch the operation of the spinning frame and upon completion of the winding to stop the machine and lower the ring rail to starting position. This operation requires constant attention on the part of the spinner, and it very often happens that while attending to other duties the bobbins are over-wound and necessitate removal of a portion of the yarn which is lost. This re- I sults in a very material loss in profits since all of the bobbins on one machine would be overwound which necessitates removal of a very appreciable amount of yarn.

An object of the invention is to provide a control for spinning frames in which the frame is stopped and the ring rail lowered to starting position upon completion of the winding operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control for spinning frames which is completely automatic in operation and incorporating safety means which may be utilized to shut the spinning frame down and lower the ring rail at any desired time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a control for spinning frames which is purely mechanical in operation and which may be applied to all standard spinning frames with substantially no alteration thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a, control for spinning frames which is composed of relatively few parts, which is relatively simple in operation, and which will reduce the manual labor necessary in operating spinning frames.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an isometric view with parts in phantom for greater clarity and showing the spinning frame control in condition to start operating;

Fig. 2, a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the spinning frame control substantially at the mid-point of its operating cycle;

Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1 and showing the spinning frame control at the completion of its operating cycle; and

Fig. 4, a sectional view of the clutch, winding drum and clutch engaging spring used in the apparatus of this invention.

With continued reference to the drawings there is shown therein in phantom a portion of a spinning frame comprising a housing i0 which houses the driving pulleys and gears for operation of the frame.

Extending at right angles to the housing Iii are bottom rails Ii and ring rails II, it being understood that only one side of the frame is shown in the drawing and that the parts shown are duplicated on the opposite side Of the spinning frame.

There is also provided a control rod l3 extending longitudinally of the frame and throughout the length thereof, this control rod terminating within the housing i0 and having provided on the end thereof belt shifting means, not shown, which is constructed and arranged to shift the drive belt for the spinning frame from a tight to a loose pulley when it is desired to shut down the machine. The rod I3 is mounted for limited longitudinal sliding movement and is normally operated by handles, not shown, mounted on the frame in a position convenient to the operator.

There is also provided in the conventional spinning frame a cross shaft l4 extending laterally of the frame and mounted for rotation thereon. A pedal 15 is fixed to the end of shaft l4 and a rod [6 extends upwardly from the pedal i5 and has its upper end secured to the ring rail l2.

In the normal manual operation of a spinning frame bobbins ii are mounted on rotatable bobbin spindles l8 and the ring rail l2 occupies a position adjacent the lower end of the bobbins as shown in Fig. 3. The thread or yarn is spun and as the spinning progresses is wound on bobbin ll starting from the lower end thereof and wind- I ing on progressively toward the upper end. The

ring rail I! having openings i9 receiving each bobbinmoves upward during the winding opera tion until such time as the bobbin is filled. At this time the ring rail occupies a position adjacent the upper end of the bobbin as shown in \Fig. 1. At this point the operator must manually shut down the machine and depress the pedal i5 which by means of rod it will move the ring rail l2 to the initial starting position adjacent the lower end of the bobbins as shown in Fig. 3. The filled bobbins are then removed from the spindles i8 and the empty bobbins placed thereon whereupon the operation described above is repeated.

In order to remove the necessity of carefully observing the winding operation so that the frame will automatically be stopped upon completion of the winding operation and the ring rail will be moved to its lowered starting position.

The control apparatus for accomplishing this result comprises a winding drum 20 slidably and rotatably receivedon a shaft 2| which is in turn rotatably mounted on brackets 22 and 23 secured to the spinning frame. Winding drum 26 is formed at one end thereof with an enlargement 24 in the outer radial face of which is formed clutch teeth 25.

Fixed on shaft 2| is a gear 26, and adjacent thereto and fixed on shaft 2| is a collar 21. C01- lar 21 is provided with clutch teeth 28 which are complementary to clutch teeth 25 and which'are adapted for cooperating engagement upon sliding movement of the windingdrum 20 toward collar 21.

Coil compression spring 29 surrounds the shaft 2| between an enlarged end-portion 36 of winding drum 20 and a collar 30', this spring normally urging the clutch teeth 25 and 26 into interlocking engagement. Meshing with gear 26 is a pinion gear 3| fixed to another gear 32. This pair of gears are rotatably mounted on a bracket 33 secured to the housing In by a bolt 34. Gear 32 meshes with gear 35 which is part of the normal drive mechanism within the housing I0.

Depending from bracket 23 is a bracket 36 upon which is pivotally mounted, at 31 a latch bar 38 having a notch 39 in the inner end thereof. Notch 39 is adapted to engage the shouldered portion 30 of winding drum 20 and hold the winding drum in its retracted position, as shown in Fig. 1, with the clutch teeth 25 and-28 out of engagement. There is also provided a tension spring 40 which normally urges the notch 39 into engagement with the enlarged portion 36. Also pivotally mounted on bracket 36 at 4| is a clutch reset lever 42, the upper end of which is provided with a fork 43 adapted to engage the inner radial surface of enlarged portion 30 to move the winding drum and clutch teeth 20 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1 when the lower end of the reset lever 42 is moved downwardly.

4 drum 26 the cable will be wound thereon. and

as a result will pull rod l3 toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1 thus shifting the drive belt from one pulley to another.

In order to move the ring rail l2 from the upper position shown in Fig. 1 to the lower or starting position shown in -Fig. 3, there is provided a second cable 56 attached at one end to the In order to operate the latch bar 38 and clutch rotation with respect thereto. Adjacent the opposite end of bar 44 there is pivotally mounted thereonat 45 a latch bar operating member 46, the upper end of which is slotted and slidably engages latch bar 36. The slotted end portions 41, of member 46 are held against movement longitudinally of latch bar 38 by pins 48 on each side of the slotted end portions 41. Also received between the slotted end portions 41 is a bolt 49 which may be clamped in any desired position to adjust the point at which the latch bar 38 will be operated. Also mounted on bar 44 adjacent the end thereof is a pin 56 which upon movement of bar 44 downwardl is adapted to engage the lower portion of clutch reset lever 42 to actuate the same.

In order to actuate the control rod 3 to shift the driving belt from a tight to a loose pulley, there is provided a cable 5| attached at one end to the winding drum 20 and leading through a pulley 52 mounted on bracket 53, the opposite end of the cable 5| being attached to a member 54 secured to rod l3 against relative movement therebetween by a setscrew or the like 55. It will thus be seen that upon rotation of the winding tion.

winding drum 20 and leading through a pulley 51 attached to a bracket 58 to a sector 59 fixed on the shaft I4 against rotation relative thereto. It will thus be seen that upon rotation of the winding drum the cable 56 will be wound thereon and will pull the sector 59 in a counter-clockwise direction, asshown in Fig. 1, thus rotating the shaft l4 and pulling ring rail l2 downwardly by means of rod l6.

To facilitate holding the ring rail in the down or inoperative position, there is provided a latch bar 6|) pivotally mounted at 6| on a bracket 62 secured to the spinning frame. Latch bar 66 is provided with a latch member 63 and a foot engaging portion 64 by means of which latch bar 60 may be moved to unlatching position or toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1. Mountd on the cross shaft l4 against rotation relative thereto and adapted to engage latch member 63 is a bar 65 which may be clamped to shaft 14 in any suitable manner. counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 the outer end 66 of member 65 will engage under the pletion of the spinning and winding operation and to return the ring rail to its lowered posi- Consequently there has been provided means for initiating operation of applicants control mechanism in order to stop the spinning frame and return the ring rail to lowered position at any desired time. This means may conveniently comprise a control handle 61 pivotally mounted as at 68 on a part of the frame convenient to the operator. One end of, control handle 611s pivotally connected at 69 to a rod 10 which may slidably extend through a guide sleeve 1| secured to the frame. The opposite end of rod 16 is pivotally attached at 12 to latch bar 38. It will thus be seen that by actuation of the control handle 6'! rod 10 may be moved downwardly as shown in Fig.- 1, thus releasing latch bar 36 and allowing winding drum 20 to start revolving which will stop the frame and lower the ring rail l2 to the starting position as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Starting with the ring rail l2 in its lowered position, as shown in Fig. 3, and with empty bobbins installed on the spindles l8, the operator moves latch bar (into the left by engaging portion 64 with his foot, thus releasing latch member 63 from member 65 and allowing the ring rail l2 to start moving upwardly. At the same time control rod l3 would be moved to the right to shift the drive belt from a loose pulley to a tight pulley. As the spinning and winding operation progresses, the ring rail l2 moves upwardly until it reaches the portion adjacent the upper ends of the bobbins H as shown in Fig. 1 at which time the mechanism comprising this invention begins to function.

As will be seen from an inspection of the drawings. upon movement of the ring rail l2 upwardly, bar 44 will move in a clockwise direction, as

Upon rotation of shaft l4 in a viewed in Fig. 1, thus causing the slotted bar I! to slide upwardly on latch bar 38 until bolt 49 which has been properly adjusted in the bar It engages and releases latch bar 38, allowing the winding drum and clutch teeth 25 to move to the left into engagement with teeth 28. At this point winding drum 20 driven by the clutch teeth 25 and it and the gearing associated therewith will comthence to revolve, thus winding cables BI and B thereon. This will result in sliding rod It to the left, thus shifting the belt from driving position to neutral position and at the same time will r0- tate shall; it in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. l to lower the ring rail to starting position, as shown in Fig. 3. The operator will then remove the filled bobbins and replace them with empty bobbins and the process as described above will be repeated.

From a consideration of the above description, it will be seen that applicant has provided a relatively simple completely automatic and wholly mechanical control for spinning frames which will operate to stop the frame and lower the ring rail at the completion of the spinning and windmg operation and which may be set in operation at any desired time during the spinning operation ring rail if to a point where the bobbins are filled and ready to be removed. It will also be obvious that spinning frames equipped with a control of this type will require much less attention on the part of the operator and will result in a material saving due to occasional overwinding of the bobbins as a result of inattention on the part of the operator.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: Y

l. A control mechanism for spinning frames provided with a drive belt, tight and loose pulleys, a belt shifter rod, drive gears, a rotatably mounted cross shaft, bobbin spindles, a ring rail and means connecting said ring rail and said cross shaft for upward and downward movement of said ring rail upon rotation of said cross shaft, said control mechanism comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame, gearing for rotating said shaft, a winding drum rotatably and slidably received on said shaft, clutch teeth on said winding drum, cooperating clutch teeth on a collar fixed to said shaft, spring means tending to urge said clutch teeth into driving engagement, a latch bar constructed and arranged to engage said winding drum and hold said clutch teeth out of engagement, a. clutch reset lever constructed and arranged to engage said winding drum to move said clutchteeth out of engagement, a cable having one end attached to said winding drum and the other end attached to the belt shifter rod whereby upon rotation of said winding drum to wind said cable thereon said belt shifter rod will be moved to ,shift said drive belt from a tight to a loose pulley thus stoppin the frame, a second cable having one end attached to said winding drum and the opposite end attached to a sector fixed on said cross shaft whereby upon rotation of said winding drum to wind said second cable thereon said cross shaft will be rotated to move said ring rail downwardiy, a clutch control bar fixed to said cross shaft, means on said clutch control her engaging said latch bar to release the same upon movement of said clutch control bar with rotation of said cross shaft in one direction, said clutch control bar being further provided with means-constructed and arranged to engage said clutch reset lever upon movement of said clutch control bar in the opposite direction whereby said clutch teeth are disengaged, and means fixed on said cross shaft constructed and arranged to cooperate with foot operated latch means pivotally mounted on said frame to hold said ring rail in lowered position.

2. A control mechanism for spinning frames provided with a drive belt, tight and loose pulleys,. a belt shifter rod, drive gears, a rotatably mounttating said shaft, a winding drum freely rotatable on said shaft, clutch means constructed and arranged to drive said drum from said shaft, resilient means tending to urge said clutch means into driving engagement, a latch bar constructed and arranged to hold said clutch means in disengagement, a clutch reset lever constructed and arranged to disengage said clutch, a cable attached to said winding drum and to said belt shifter rod to move said rod upon rotation of said winding drum this shifting said drive belt from a tight to a loose pulley, a second cable attached to said winding drum and to a sector fixed on said cross shaft and operable to rotate said cross shaft upon rotation of said winding drum to move said ring rail downwardly, a clutch control bar fixed to said cross shaft, means on said bar to engage said latch bar to release the same upon rotation of said cross shaft in one direction, means on said clutch control bar to engage said clutch reset lever upon movement of said cross shaft in the opposite direction whereby said clutch is disengaged and means fixed on said cross shaft constructed and arranged to cooperate with latch means to hold said ring rail in lowered position.

3. A control mechanism forspinning frames provided with a drive means, a control for said drive means, a rotatably mounted cross shaft, bobbin spindles, a ring rail and means connecting said ring rail and said cross shaft for upward and downward movement of said ring rail upon rotation of said cross shaft, said control mechanism comprising a winding drum, 9. driving means for said winding drum, cooperating clutch teeth on said winding drum and said driving means, means normally urging said clutch teeth into driving engagement, a latch bar to hold said clutch teeth out of engagement, a clutch reset lever to move said clutch teeth out of engagement, a cable attached to said winding drum and to said drive control means whereby upon rotation of said winding drum said frame will be stopped, a second cable attached to said winding drum and to a sector fixed on said cross shaft whereby upon rotation of said winding drum, said cross shaft will be rotated to move said ring rail downwardly, a clutch control bar fixed'to said cross shaft, said clutch control bar having means engaging said latch bar to release the same upon movement of said clutch control bar upon rotation of said cross shaft in one direction, said clutch control bar being further provided with means constructed and arranged to engage said clutch reset lever upon movement of said clutch control bar in the opposite direction whereby said clutch teeth are disengaged and means to latch said ring rail in lowered position.

4. A control mechanism for spinning frames provided with a drive belt, tight and loose pulleys, a belt shifter rod, drive gears, a rotatably mounted cross shaft, bobbin spindles, a ring rail and means connecting said ring rail and said cross shaft for upward and downward movement of said ring rail upon rotation of said cross shaft. said control mechanism comprising a winding drum, means for rotating said winding drum, a clutch between said rotating means and said winding drum, resilient means normally urging said clutch into engagement. means to hold said clutch disengaged, means to disengage said clutch, means connecting said winding drum and said belt shifter rod whereby upon rotation of said winding drum said belt shifter rod will be moved to shift said drive belt from a tight to a loose pulley, means connecting said winding drum and a sector on said cross shaft whereby upon rotation of said winding drum said cross shaft will be rotated to move said ring rail downwardly,

- means on said cross shaft to release said clutch holding means upon rotation of said cross shaft in one direction, means to disengage said clutch up n rotation of said cross shaft in the opposite direction, and means on said cross shaftcooperating with means on said frame to latch said ring rail in lowered position,

5. For e with a spinning frame having drive oontrokmeans, a rotatably mounted cross shaft adapted upon rotation thereof to raise or lower a ring rail, 9. control mechanism comprising a winding drum, means to rotate said winding drum, control means to said rotating means constructed and arranged to start or stop said winding drum, means connecting said winding drum with said drive control means, means connecting said winding drum to said cross shaft whereby upon rotation of said winding drum, said drive control means will be actuated to stop said frame and said cross shaft will be rotated to lower said ring rail, means on said cross shaft constructed and arranged to actuate said rotating control means and means on said cross shaft cooperating with means on said frame to latch said ring rail in lowered position.

6. A control mechanism for spinning frames provided with a drive means, a control for said drive means, a rotatably mounted cross shaft, bobbin spindles, a ring rail and means connecting said ring rail and said cross shaft for upward and downward movement of said ring rail upon rotation of said cross shaft, said control mechanism comprising actuating means for said drive control means and for said rotatably mounted cross shaft whereby upon operation thereof said drive control means will be operated to stop said frame and said cross shaft will be rotated to lower said ring rail, means on said cross shaft constructed and arranged to control the operation of said actuating means and means on said cross shaft cooperating with mean on said frame to latch said ring rail in lowered position.

7. A control mechanism for spinning frames provided with a drive means, a control for said drive means, a rotatably mounted cross shaft, bobbin spindles, a ring rail and means connecting said ring rail and said cross shaft for upward and downward movement of said ring rail upon rotation of said cross shaft, said control mech- I anism comprising actuating means for said drive control .means and for said rotatably mounted cross shaft whereby upon operation thereof said drive control means will-be operated to stop said frame and said cross shaft will be rotated to lower said ring rail and means on said cross shaft constructed and arranged to control the operation of said actuating means.

DAVID ROBERT NEELY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Pearce May 15, 1923 Number 

